RSABI smash £150,000 fundraising campaign target

An industry gala dinner, supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, at Gogarburn on Friday, January 27th rounded off a host of linked fundraising activities, including RSABI Great Glen Challenge 2016, golf and clay shoot fundraisers up and down the country as well as an epic tractor journey around the north coast of Scotland.

The gala dinner featured a dynamic charity auction with Robert Taylor and celebrity speakers, including “Doddie” Weir and farming comedian Jim Smith.

The event was sold out with a range of sponsoring businesses and organisations from the wider agricultural industry attending.

As well as raising vital funds for the charity that helps over 900 people who have worked on the land and are now struggling, the event celebrated in particular the support provided by individual fundraisers.

RSABI enjoyed fantastic support from individual fundraisers, as well as generous donations from the wider agricultural community since the campaign began last April.

From driving the NC500 route around the Northwest Highlands in a tractor, to auctioning sheep on a marathon journey of the country’s marts, to a 24-hour ploughathon in Dumfries and Galloway, there were scores of people who were willing to give up their time to support those in need.

During the recent period of challenge and hardship throughout the Scottish farming community, RSABI and the Royal Bank of Scotland have worked tirelessly together to build awareness of those who are struggling to cope, and to raise significant funds to provide the additional support required.

RSABI’s Paul Tinson, who co-ordinated the gala dinner and the campaign, added: “We were absolutely thrilled when we found out we had significantly surpassed our target for the ‘Help us help them’ campaign with the support of the Royal Bank of Scotland at Gogarburn.

“For many people in the farming community, it’s been a hard year and so it’s really fantastic to witness so many individual, business and corporate supporters helping RSABI to exceed our target.”

SRUC, like many other organisations from the wider agricultural industry, backed the event.

Janet Swadling, deputy chief executive and principal hosted a sponsored table and said: “SRUC is fully supportive of RSABI’s work and we are delighted to demonstrate this by committing to be a RSABI corporate supporter going forward. We hope that, along with other organisations, our commitment will allow RSABI to continue and expand its important work helping those whose livelihoods depend on the land in times of crisis.”

Director with Royal Bank of Scotland’s corporate and commercial team, Brian Murphy, who hosted the event said: “The agricultural and rural community is an important sector for Scotland’s business, as well as cultural life. It has experienced challenging times recently, which brings into sharp focus the importance the RSABI plays.”

He continued: “The RSABI gala dinner was a fantastic evening, raising almost £24,000 of much needed funds for the charity on one night. It’s great to see the current fundraising campaign coming to a close with such success, and we look forward to being involved further with RSABI in 2017.”